Fire-detecting apparatus



April 1, 1930. G. M. MARR ET AL 1,752,496

FIRE DETECTING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 14, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 1930- I G. M. MARR ET AL 1,752,496

FIRE DETECTING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 14, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 1, 1930 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ononon n1. MARE, on NEW Yonx, AND ARTHUR rnnnrs MARE, or BROOKLYN, ivnw Yonx FIRE-DETECTING APPARATUS Application filed December 14, 1926. Serial No. 154,839.

The device, the subject of this invention consists of means for detecting fires and in our application we have designed the device primarily for detecting fires in the holds or compartments of ships.

The objects of the invention are to provide a plurality of means for detecting fires, all of the means operatin conjunctively and thereby providing a purality of co-ordinating fire detectors.

Another objectof this invention is to provide means for visual and audible fire detection and the combining of these means so that each will operate efiiciently and at least one will assist the other in its operation, thereby increasing its efiiciency.

Another object of this invention is to provide a plurality of visual fire detecting means operating in series, one of said means serving as a central or master observation point in communication with a plurality of independent visual observation means and another oh- I ject of the invention is to provide deflecting means so arranged that at least the visual observation means may be checked by the sense of smell of the observer and another and yet im ortant object of the invention is to provi e a means of great flexibility and one wherein, with but slight d'ifliculty, any number of units maybe added or units omitted, without great change in the general construction or appearance of the device.

The means for accomplishing all of these objects and others not heretofore, specified, as well as the means which makes it possible to locate the observation stations most conveniently, will be fully set forth as the specification progresses and the accompanying drawings should be referred to for a complete understanding of the specification which follows.

In the drawings Fig. 1, is a view in elevation.

Fig. 2, is an enlarged and partly fractured view of a group of units;

Fig. 3, is a vertical, sectional view of one unit.

Fig. 4 is 7 an enlarged and fractured view of a. smolze dome, an

Fig. 5, is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6, shows in diagram a plurality of domes connected to av single observation chamber.

Similar reference numerals indicate like.

thermostat 4 and a cable 5 connects this thermostat with the annunciator 6' and a'source of current supply not shown.

Any number of domes may be employed and we prefer that one of more such domesl should be provided for each hold of a ship and 1n the drawing and in Fig. 1 thereof, we

show eight domes, the dome 1 previously referred to and seven additional domes indicated at 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and13. Each of these domes is similar in construction, although the size of any and all domes may be varied at will and each dome is preferably provided with a thermostat such as that shown at 4, suitably mounted therein.

The pipesfrom all of the domes 1, and 7 to 13 inclusive lead by as direct a path as possible to a desirable point, which we believe to be the engine room of the vessel and there the pipes terminate each in a separate expansion and observation chamber, the pipe 3 terminating in the observation chamber 14; the pipe 7 in the chamber 15; the pipe 8 in the chamber 16 and the pipe 9 in the chamber 17.

These four chambers 14 to 17 inclusive assist in the formation of what We call a unit.

. Each ofthese chambers is arranged adjacent as shown at 22 in Fig. 3 is preferably a ground glass window.

The box 18 is provided with a cover 23 which may be secured thereto by means of screws 24 and the cover is provided with a bulls eye or lense 25 by means of which the illumination of the lamp 21 may be observed and assures that the lamp 21 is burning.

The smoke domes 10 to 13 reached through suitable pipes connected to a second group of chambers 26, 27, 28 and 29, each, together with their lamp box 30 make up the second unit and we prefer that the second unit should be arranged adjacent to the first unit which has been fully described and that its construction and arrangement should be similar to the first unit.

Each of the chambers 14 to 17 inclusive, comprising the first unit and 26 to 29 inclusive comprising the second unit are of similar construction. Each is provided with a window 22 previously described and each is also provided with a door 31 having a glass panel 32. Suitable hinges 33 are provided for each door and a securing means such as that shown at 34 is also provided.

Within the chamber and upon the back wall thereof we arrange a mirror as shown at 35 and adjacent to the outlet from each chamber we'provide a shutter 36 supported upon and operable by the door and in such a manner that when the door is opened the shutter 36 will close the outlet passage 37 of the chamber.

From each of the chambers 14 to 17 inclusive, a discharge pipe leads to a manifold 38 and a pipe 39 from the manifold 38 is directly connected with an observation chamber 40 and we desire that while the general construction of the chamber 40 may be similar to that of any of the chambers 14 to 17 inclusive, or 26' to 29 inclusive, the chamber 40 be somewhat larger than the other chambers and it will be noted that the discharge from a group of four smaller chambers enters the chamber 40.

The chambers 26 to 29 inclusive also discharge into a manifold as shown at 41 and a pipe 42 connects the manifold 41 with a chamber 43 which is arranged adjacent to the chamber 40 and together the chambers 40 and 43 are secured one at each side of aand 54, as such in the chamber 48. The valves may be interlocked in any desirable manner and now so that our device may be fully understood we will describe its installation and operation.

As previously stated smoke domes 1 having thermostats 4 supported therein are arranged in each hold or compartment of a vessel that it is desired to protect by means of our device. The smoke domes in each conipartment are connected by means of a pipe, with an observation chamber such as that shown at 14, each observation chamber serving for a single compartment.

The observation chambers may be grouped in units around a central illuminating point and we prefer that the first mentioned observation units should be arranged in the engine room, preferably upon or immediately adjacent to the instrument board, so that the engineer on watch may have our device under constant observation in the same manner that he has the pressure and vacuum gauges and all other instruments common to this station.

We prefer that the engine room observation chambers should be arranged in groups of four for economy. The groups may be marked as suggested in the drawings to indicate the section of the ship wherein the particular domes are arranged and in Fig. 1 two groups are shown, one for the forward and the other for the aft sections of the ship. In addition to this marking each observation chamber may bear a legend or number such as the large numbers 1, 2, 3, 4 shown on the observation chamber in Fig. 2, which will indicate the number of the hold wherein a particular dome or group of domes are arranged.

These units which we have just described make up what we term the first or primary observation station.

The second observation stations are the two larger observation chambers 40 and 43, which we prefer should be arranged upon the forward bulkhead and probably between the windows of the pilot house where they would be under constant observation by the helmsman in the normal discharge of his duties.

At all times the lights in the chambers 18. 30 and 44 are kept burning and the interiors of all of the observation chambers are thereby illumined and the blower 47 is kept in operation. The blower will cause a slight suction through all of the pipes, through the observa tion chambers and throu h the smoke domes.

If a fire starts in any iold, smoke will ascend through the dome, the piping and one of the smaller observation chambers and one of the larger observation chambers. The observer does not attempt to discover the smoke as it issues into the chamber, but merely watches for a clouding of the mirror, which indicates an untoward condition.

If the clouding is first noticed by the helmsman, any of the ordinary communicating systems, such as an interior telephone is employed to call the attention of the watch engineer, the helmsman merely stating, I see or I think I see smoke aft or -forward, as the case may be. The watch engineer then, if the report is aft, looks at the four or more or less observation chambers to discover from which hold the smoke is coming and thereafter the course of events is similar to that employed in case of suspected or discovered fire.

If the discovery of smoke is made by the watch engineer, it is not necessary to call the matter to the attention of the helmsman.

If a clouding of a mirror occurs, the cause of which is not certain, the door of the particular observation chamber may be opened, which will immediately close the suction or discharge passage from that chamber. By placing the nostrils close to the chamber then, the observer may quickly determine, by the sense of smell, whether the clouding was caused by smoke or not.

The importance of placing a thermostat in the smoke dome must not be underestimated, for as there is always a suction through the smoke dome, if a fire starts it is only natural that the temperature within the dome will be raised more quickly than at any other point in the hold and if the temperature is raised sufficiently high, the thermostat will operate the annunciator 6, serving as a positive fire indicating means.

It will of course be understood that the number of smoke domes employed will be.de termined by the size and construction ofthe ship and this will also control the number of main or secondary observation units used and the size of these units. a

We make no special claim in this application for-the means for admitting steam or a fire extinguishing medium through the valve 53 nor for the interlocking of the valve to prevent the passing backward of the fire extinguishing medium. We merely show these chambers 48 to 52 inclusive and the valves 53 and 54 to indicate that such may be employed as and when desired.

It will be understood that, as shown in Fig. 6, a lurality of domes may be connected to a sing e observation chamber. For best results all of the domes connected to a single chamber should be located in one compartment or hold. We do not believe that the number of domes connected to a single chamber in an way changes the nature or advantages of t is invention and whether one or more domes are so connected does not in any way effect the operation of our device. I

Having carefully and fully described our invention, what we claim and desire to obtain is 1. A fire detecting apparatus comprising a primary smoke observation station and a secondary smoke observation station and means for connecting them, reflecting surfaces in both said stations and means for causing smoke to pass over said reflecting sur faces.

2. A fire detecting apparatus comprising a primary smoke observation station consisting of a plurality of independent units and a secondary smoke observation station connected with all of said units, and means for causing smoke to pass through both observation stations.

3. A fire detecting apparatus comprising a plurality of domes and an observation chamber for each of said domes, and to which said domes are connected, a manifold connected to the discharge side of each said observation chamber and a second observation chamber connected with said manifold.

4. A fire detecting apparatus comprising a plurality of domes and an independent observation chamber for each said dome and to which each dome is connected, a manifold connected to the discharge side of each said observation chamber and a second observation chamber connected with said manifold and means for causing a current of air to pass through said domes and both said observation chambers.

5. A fire detecting apparatus comprising a smoke dome, an observation chamber, a pipe connecting said observation chamber with said dome, a second observation chamber, a pipe connecting said second observation chamber with said first observation chamber and a suction means for causing a current of air to pass through said dome and both said observation chambers prior to reaching said suction means and means for checking said current of air at either of said observation chambers 6. An apparatus for detecting fires which includes a plurality of observation chambers arranged in a group and illuminating means communicating with all said chambers and arranged so that the light rays entering said chambers will be at right angles to the discharge through said chambers, and a suction means connected with all said chambers.

7. In a fire detecting apparatus, an obser-- parent panel in said chamber opposite said I reflecting surface.

8. In a fire detecting apparatus, an observation chamber having inlet and outlet passages, and a suction means connected to said outlet passa e, a door for said chamber and means opera le by said door for closing the outlet passage of said chamber.

9. A fire detecting apparatus comprising a plurality of observation chambers arranged in a group, means for illuminatin the interior of all said chambers, a mani old connected to all said chambers, a secondary observation chamber connected to said manifold and an exhausting device connected to, but isolated from said secondary observation chamber and adapted to cause a suction throu h said observation chambers and said mani old.

10. A fire detecting apparatus comprising a smoke inlet, a pipe line therefrom, a plurality of normally closed visual observation stations in said pipe line, and means for causing smoke to pass through said pipe line and all of said observation stations.

11. A fire detecting apparatus comprising a smoke inlet, a pipe line therefrom, a plurality of normally closed visual observation stations in said pipe line, and means for causing smoke to ass through said pipe line and all of said 0 servation stations, to be discharged beyond the final observation station.

12. In a fire detecting apparatus, an observation chamber, inlet and outlet passages therethrough, a suction means therefor, a reflectin surface therein, a transparent panel in said ciamber opposite said reflecting surface and means for illuminating the interior of said observation chamber.

13. An a paratus for detectin smoke or finely divi ed particles suspende in gas or vapor comprising an observation station consisting of a lurality of independent units, each unit being connected to a space to be protected, reflecting surfaces in each said unit, means for illuminating the interiors of all said units, and means for causing a current of air to pass through each said unit from the respective spaces protected.

GEORGE M. MARR. ARTHUR PHELPS MARR. 

